HYDERABAD, Oct 7: A division bench of the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit, issued notices on Friday to Pakistan Railways divisional superintendents of Karachi and Sukkur, Kotri police station SHO, Jamshoro DCO and DPO, Kotri TMO and Kotri barrage chief irrigation engineer on a constitutional petition and gave the date of October 13 for preliminary hearing.

Advocate Raja Jawad Ali Sahar had filed the petition through Advocate Ayaz Latif Palijo against the officials, challenging collection of toll tax on the Kotri railway bridge.

The court bench comprised Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Mohammad Moosa K. Leghari.

The petitioner said that some people disguising themselves as government officials were collecting toll tax for the last two or three years on the bridge.

He said that hoodlums had been deputed as recovery men by the contractor and they were robbing local people in the name of tax.

He said the tax collectors had no authority to collect taxes. They did not give any payment receipt and did not wear uniform. They some times harass women by blocking their way in a threatening manner.

The petitioner informed the court that he had also used the bridge for coming to Hyderabad and going back to Kotri and every time he had to pay the tax.

He said that the bridge was old and was banned for heavy vehicles for the past 15 years, but now the heavy vehicles were allowed to pass to please the contractor. He said that this activity could cause its collapse and loss of human lives.

He alleged that policemen who were deployed at the bridge were allowing heavy vehicles after getting bribe.

He said the bridge was constructed in 1932 and since then no tax had been collected for maintenance or renovation.

The petitioner stated that he went to the DPO, irrigation and railway authorities of Kotri and Hyderabad but they told him to go to the deputy superintendent of Pakistan Railways.

BUILDER: The Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, on Friday restrained a builder from constructing any building without an approved building plan.